Just like the Champions League, the Europa League is down to the semi final stage, and it is also a competition where two English clubs remain, with a possible all-English final to come. The difference here though is that the English clubs are both fancied to not only win their games on Thursday night, but to go ahead and contest the final. Should that happen it would of course be great for the English game, even more so if it was combined with success in the Champions League, we have seen England and the Premier League dominate European football this season.

Focusing on this game specifically and Chelsea are the favourites to win this tie, they are the favourites to go through to the final and assuming nothing huge happens on Thursday, they will be favourites to win the second leg. The bookmakers like them a lot, and think they are heading to the final, but I’m not so sure myself.

I don’t particularly think that a full strength Frankfurt team would be able to beat Chelsea if they were at full strength and playing well, but the circumstances around the game make this a slightly more level playing field than Frankfurt are being given credit for. This is the most important game of their season, and they know that if they are to qualify then more than likely that will be because they have taken a win to Stamford Bridge with them. Forget the final, forget the second leg, they just need to focus on one thing only which is winning the game on Thursday in front of their home fans.

Chelsea have looked a little laboured over the past few games, and it is only the poor performances from other clubs fighting for the Premier League top four that has kept Chelsea in the hunt. They come here on the back of a loss and two draws in their last three league games, and a big scare at home to Slavia Prague in the last round of this competition. That home leg was supposed to be a walk in the park for Chelsea, and it turned out to be a narrow 4-3 victory. Frankfurt are better than Prague, and I think they can test The Blues even further.

Chelsea won’t be able to get over their recent form too easily, and Frankfurt will see this as a chance to do something special. They have to be brave and attack though, their best opportunity of winning this tie is by winning the first leg, and that is something I will be backing them to do.

English Sides Dominating in Europe

Across the two big European competitions, just eight teams remain in the hunt for silverware. Four of those are English, showing just what a thrilling and positive year it has been for the Premier League. Tottenham and Liverpool are battling it out in the Champions League, while Arsenal and Chelsea are both hoping to reach the Europa League final. All done without a team from Manchester, a city that has given us so many big European nights with United in the past, and now with City, a team that are capable of dominating Europe with a little bit of luck.

If we are to get an English trophy winner this season then it is more likely to come from the Europa League, and an all-English final is the favourite outcome right now. Both Arsenal and Chelsea need to play better than they have in the league though, and that could be the long, hard season beginning to take its toll.

Teams at the top of the Premier League had many of their star players in the World Cup last season. On top of that they play in Europe, as well as competing in the domestic cup competitions, often progressing quite for in those. We have just a handful of games left, can the English clubs hold out and make the finals? Let’s hope so, but if they don’t then that would certainly add more weight to the claims that we need to adopt a winter break in England, just like they do in other countries. The big benefit of this is not to do with weather, like it is elsewhere, but to give the players a rest and let them have time to prepare for the second half of the season.

Frankfurt vs Chelsea Betting Tips

With the German side having home advantage in the first leg, the result of this game is far more important to them than Chelsea, and I think we will see them pressing to try and get a result from this one. That will allow Chelsea the chance to counter attack and they are dangerous doing that, which should give us a good game to watch.

I don’t think Chelsea have been at their best for the past few weeks, and that could be down to unrest in the camp which has been reported, or it could simply be that the players are tired. We are nearly at the end of the season, but if Chelsea want to make the Europa League final then they are going to have to find one last big push to get there.

While they may qualify overall for the final, I am more than happy to side with Frankfurt and back them in the first leg. The German side are no mugs, and more than capable of capitalising on any chances that Chelsea give them. If both teams are at their best, Chelsea are the best team here, but I believe there is more chance of us seeing Frankfurt at their best than Chelsea at theirs, which is why I am siding with the team that plays in the Bundesliga.

I’m struggling to split these two in the overall tie, but as far as the first leg goes, I prefer to go with the value on offer and that is most certainly with Frankfurt.

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